BSJ Game Report: Dolphins 33, Patriots 24 - New England finishes season poorly for 3rd straight year

Everything you need to know from the Patriots’ loss to the Dolphins in quickie form, with BSJ insight and analysis:

HEADLINES

Patriots dig another hole they can't get out of: The Patriots were 9-3 and the top seed in the AFC after beating Buffalo on Dec. 6. With four games remaining, the Patriots needed two wins to have the AFC's first-round bye and win the division. Instead, they could only manage a home win over the lowly Jaguars, will not have a home game in the playoffs and could fall all the way to the sixth seed should the Raiders beat the Chargers tonight. It's not exactly a secret why the Patriots lost to the Colts, Bills and, now, the Dolphins — just awful starts to the games.

The Patriots fell behind the Colts 20-0, the Bills 20-7 and the Dolphins 17-0 (and 27-10) for a combined deficit of 57-7 in games they ended up within one score late. That simply can't happen and it was a constant problem.

"Obviously played poorly, coached poorly, didn't do anything very well," Bill Belichick told reporters. "So just too many -- too many mistakes, way too many so... We'll go look at the film, turn the page here and make some corrections and move on to next week. So that's really about it."

"Bad football," Devin McCourty said of the bad starts. "I would say it's always something else. You know, it hasn't been one thing. It's been a combination of bad football, a bad play here. And then instead of having one bad play and moving forward, we have to two good plays and another bad play. We let them score on defense, then we throw a pick 6. So it's just a bad combination of complementary football, bad football on both sides of the ball. And then you look up, and you're in a hole."

Defense can't get a stop ... again: There's a theme in the Patriots' losses:

Week 1 vs. Miami — Patriots trail 17-16 and after a Damien Harris fumble with 3:31 left, Miami runs out the clock on the Pats D.

Week 3. vs. New Orleans — Patriots make it 21-13 with 9:22 left. Defense allows a 75-yard TD drive that takes up 6:45.

Week 4. vs. Tampa — Patriots lead 17-16 with 4:34 left. Defense allows FG drive.

Week 6 vs. Dallas — Patriots lead 29-26 with 2:11 left. Patriots allow 55-yard FG drive to force overtime where they lose.

Week 15 at Indy — Patriots trail 20-17 with 2:21 left. Defense allows a 67-yard TD run.

Week 16 vs. Buffalo — Patriots make it 26-21 with 7:37 left. Defense allows 13-play, 75-yard TD drive that took 5:07 to finish off the game.

Week 18 at Miami — Patriots make it 27-24. With 1:56 and two timeouts left, the Patriots have the Dolphins in 3rd and 8 from the Miami 42. Matthew Judon runs right by Tua Tagovailoa who scrambles for 11 yards to essentially end the game.

Mac Jones looks like a rookie in a big spot again: Jones brought the team back again and his stats (20 of 30, 261 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 91.1 rating) look decent, but Jones had two killer turnovers. A pick-six against trap coverage on his first pass of the game dug the Patriots a 14-0 hole. Jones also fumbled what appeared to be a clean snap from Ted Karras (Jones took responsibility after the game) at the Miami 22 late in the third quarter when it was 24-10. That took points off the board, and the Dolphins kicked a field goal after the turnover — so at least a six-point swing. Jones had his moments in this game, but they pretty much need him to at least play mistake-free and he did not do that. 

"It's super embarrassing, honestly, just from my point how I played," Jones said. "Wasn't good enough. And I can be better. And it starts with me. I'm the quarterback. And that's my job is to make people around me have success. And it starts with me, so we'll get it fixed. I think, like you said, you've got to watch the film and learn from it and realize how embarrassing it is to play that way. But, at the same time, we've got a great opportunity next week. And that's all you can ask for."

In the three losses, Jones was 60 of 107 (56 percent) for 705 yards, 3 TDs, 5 INTs, 1 fumble for a passer rating of 66.1. That's not good enough either. 

Patriots finish with whimper for third-straight season: Since winning the Super Bowl in 2018, these are the Patriots' finishes:

2021: 1-3
2020: 1-3
2019: 2-4 (including playoffs)That's 3-10.

Even in 2018 when they caught fire, the Patriots finished the regular season 2-4. Something is up with that. Seems a long ways from when everyone was talking about the Patriots' hill being a big factor for the team's stamina.

The Patriots' dominance in the AFC East is also a thing of the past. The Dolphins swept the Patriots for the first time since 2000. Tua Tagovailoa, who only threw for 109 yards today, is now 3-0 against the Patriots. And New England has dropped 3 of 4 games to both Buffalo and Miami

"Each team, you are what you are, I say it every year," McCourty said. "We always talk about what teams in the past have done. It's really irrelevant to the current team. You know, those teams in the past had different players. And I think we can't rely on that and bank on that. We talk about it all the time. Obviously, you want to be playing your best football. We haven't. So we've got to turn the page and we've got to have a good week of practice and rely on that because we don't have the three, four weeks in a row of good football to rely on. It hasn't been our best. But I think if we sit there and say we've got no shot because it hasn't been our best, then we might as well not even show up next week. We've just got to put our heads down, get to work and go out there and play our best football. We know each Sunday is a different opportunity, kind of any given Sunday. And I think that's how we've got to prepare no matter who we play and go out there and try to get a win.

TURNING POINT

The Tua scramble on third down. Go ahead and complain about the officiating and how Matthew Judon was held. First of all, the lineman let go and it was not a definite hold. The better question ... where the hell is Judon going? He ran by Tua and that gave him the space to escape ... again. 

SECOND GUESS

4-1-50 (1:08) (Run formation) PENALTY on NE-M.Jones, False Start, 4 yards, enforced at 50 - No Play.

Patriots trailed 17-7 right before halftime when Kendrick Bourne picked up 17 yards on 3rd and 18 to bring up 4th and 1. Most figured the Patriots would go for it, get at least a field goal and with the ball to start the third quarter, the Patriots could quickly be in business.

But then Belichick sent out Jones and the offense to ... try to draw the Dolphins offsides. Jones was called for a false start.

The Patriots should have gone for it. Even turning the ball over there, the Dolphins were scared to death of Tua. Another scared call from Belichick, who obviously doesn't trust Jones and the offense.

THREE UP

Brandon Bolden: The running back had nine total touches for 66 yards and two touchdowns.

Hunter Henry: Had five catches for 86 yards.

Jakobi Meyers: Had four catches for 70 yards and they all seemed to be big.

THREE DOWN

Mac Jones: Can't turn the ball over twice like that in a big game. He hasn't been good enough for this team down the stretch, and he has been too flustered. Didn't like his tackle attempt and reaction to the pick-six, and didn't love his little tantrum on the timeout.

Matthew Judon: They are paying him a lot of money to be an impact player and he has not been that down the stretch. Three tackles and one TFL is not enough of an impact.

Special teams: Jake Bailey had another pointless touchback that could have pinned the Dolphins deep. Gunner Olszewski didn't field a punt that went 63 yards (no touchbacks for their punter). Lawrence Guy extended a drive with a dumb penalty. Just a bad unit all season.

INJURIES

Christian Barmore (knee): Left on a cart late in the game after colliding with Joejuan Williams. NFL Network reports: "will have an MRI on his knee tomorrow, source said. The initial exams were promising, indicating no major injury. As we’ve seen, the MRI could tell a different story, but at first glance there is some good news."

David Andrews (unknown): Left the game and did not return. Could just be rest for his shoulder.

Isaiah Wynn (ankle): Left early in the game and did not return. Replaced by Justin Herron.

Rhamondre Stevenson (arm): Left briefly but finished the game.

TOP PLAYS

THREE TAKES BEDARD WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

Barmore injury could really hurt: Even if Barmore's MRI is good, he might not be able to play this week, or all that effectively. As we've said all season, the only players in the front seven who can make plays consistently are Judon and Barmore. I assume Deatrich Wise would take some of Barmore's sub package reps, which could open up some opportunities for Josh Uche or Chase Winovich more on the edge. But Barmore just beat people consistently. Patriots have too few of those players. Basically, Judon is going to have to be a superhero for this team in the pass rush department.

The Patriots should be embarrassed about their run defense: It's one thing to give up some runs to Jonathan Taylor. But to let retreads like Duke Johnson and Phillip Lindsay rush 26 times for 157 yards — often on little belly runs — which allowed the Dolphins to hide Tua Tagovailoa ... that's just embarrassing. Patriots need a refund from Davon Godchaux. And Ja'Whaun Bentley might have had the most fraudulent 17 tackle game I've ever seen. I didn't even realize he played until I saw a picture from the game and looked at the stat sheet.

Anything can still happen: Yes, the Patriots have not played well against decent teams to this point, especially late with so much on the line. You shouldn't have a ton of confidence. But no one is dominant in the AFC and all it takes is for one moment, one series for a team to get locked in. They are in the dance. Yes, they limped to the finish, but anything can happen now.